The Sanders Story a Family Saga
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
1 The Sanders Story A Family Saga Researched, compiled and transcribed by Derrick Lewis 2 “The path to strength and prosperity, to success in the future, lies in understanding the past. Know your origins, study the achievements of the generations before you and you will benefit from the wisdom of your ancestors” - The Old Testament 3 Preface I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1943, one hundred and one years after the birth of my maternal Great Grandfather, Wulf Sanders. My father, Isidore Lewis was fatally struck down by a massive coronary three years after my birth. Due to difficult financial circumstances at the time, my Mother decided to move in with her parents, Isidore and Bella Israelsohn who lived in the Southern Cape town of George. This is where I grew up, in my Grandparents home, at 72 York Street, George. The story that have compiled is a direct result of the many conversations I had with my Grandmother and listening to her many stories and anecdotes. I felt that as our family story was fascinating, the family having lived on three continents before arriving here in South Africa, I would write down and attempt to record all this fascinating oral history. Later in my adult years I researched these anecdotal facts and discovered most of them to be true! What I have finally written is a record of the life and times of the Sanders family with the assistance and input of the many members of our extended family. Chapter One We were Courlanders! Our story begins in Courland, now known as the provinces of Kurzeme and Zemgale, of modern day Latvia. Courland is bordered by the Baltic Sea to the west, Lithuania to the south and the Daugava River to the north, became part of Russia in 1795. The Russian Emperor Paul, promulgated in 1799 a law which enabled the Jews in Courland to obtain legal status as permanent inhabitants. It is interesting to note that mostly German and not Yiddish, was the spoken language of the Jewish community living there. (My Grandparents understood, but never spoke Yiddish.) It is here, in the historic capital, Mitau (now known as Jelgava) that my Great Grandfather, Wulf Sanders was born in 1842. At the time of his birth there were approximately 4000 Jews living in the town. 4 Some years later with the improved railroad connection many Jewish merchants of Mitau moved to Riga. The Sanders family apparently moved first to the town of Tukums and then to Riga. Wulf was one of four sons born to Laser and Sara Sander. (the original spelling of the family surname). To date I have been unable to find records regarding the descendants of Wulf’s siblings. However census records of the town Tukums in Courland, give their names as Marcus, Schapse and Nachman. The Jewish Encyclopedia records that the Jews of Mitau “were more akin in language, manners, and dress to the Jews of Germany, than those of Poland and Lithuania.” My late Grandmother, Bella Israelsohn was always very proud of the fact that her family were “Courlanders” and was most upset if one made the mistake of assuming that her family originated from Lithuania! (As do 75% of South Africa Jews) Typical of many other families, the “Sanders Story” is one of the ‘wandering Jew’, with Wulf Sanders traveling the world in search of financial well being and establishing a secure and safe home for his family. In the early 1860’s there was a short period of tolerance towards the Jews of Courland, with Alexander II even visiting the synagogue of Mitau on the 28th July, 1861, accompanied by the royal family. However, in the year of 1862, twenty-year-old Wulf Sander (sic Sanders) left Courland in order to avoid military conscription. The Russian authorities, in an attempt to assimilate and “remove” the Jews from within their borders, forced young Jewish men to sign up for a period of 25 years military training. Although Wulf did not possess the correct travel documents, he managed to trick a customs official into allowing him to cross the border from where he made his way by ship to London. In the East End of London he found work as a bookkeeper and saved up money for the next leg of his world wide journey! 5 Chapter Two America In 1863, Wulf set off from Liverpool for the United States of America. My Grandmother tells the story that as the ship was leaving England, it ran aground on a sand bank, but fortunately re- floated on the high tide! Passenger lists of vessels arriving at New York during the period 1820- 1897 show that a W. Sanders arrived aboard the “Etna” on 22 September, 1863. His age is given as 23. The SS Etna was operated by the Inman Company, the journey from Liverpool took twelve days. After landing in New York, Wulf apparently continued his journey a few months later on another ship the “Ariel”, which was heading for Panama. I am told that there were apparently tanneries in Panama, owned by Jews and it could be possible that Wulf had a contact there. On route to Panama, the infamous confederate raider, the Alabama, challenged the S.S. Ariel. This was the time of the American Civil War. Built in England, the Alabama was a 1016 ton steam and sail cruiser with six 32 pounders, one rifled 100 pounder and an 18-inch gun. Afloat on the high seas by the summer of 1862, the CSS Alabama harried Yankee traders and shipping and took nearly 60 prizes, dealing a blow to the American merchant marine from which, at that time it never truly recovered. Commanded by Capt. Raphael Semmes and manned by a crew of 149 men, she represented a peak of achievement in both design and performance and became the most feared raider in the world at the time. She destroyed 58 union vessels during her two-year career. On the 7th December, 1863 the Alabama came across Wulf’s ship, the Ariel, bound from New York to Aspinall. This is how the first officer of the Ariel reported the incident: “On the 7th December, at 1.30 p.m., when rounding Cape Mayasi, the eastern port of Cuba, we saw a vessel about four miles to the westward, close under high land of Cuba, barked-rigged and under canvas. As there was nothing in her appearance indicating her to be a steamer, her smokepipe being down, no suspicions were aroused till in a short time we saw she had furled her sails, raised her smoketack and was rapidly nearing us under stream, the American flag flying at her peak. Such was her speed in comparison to ours, that in about half an hour she had come up within half a mile of us, when she fired a lee gun, hauled down the American ensign and ran up the rebel flag. No attention was paid to the 6 summons and the Ariel was pushed to her utmost speed. She then sailed across our wake, took a position on our port quarter about 400 yards distant, and fired two guns almost simultaneously, on shot passing over the hurricane deck, between the walking-beam and smokestack and the other hitting the foremast, and cutting it half away. A body of United States Marines, consisting of 126 men, passengers on board the Ariel, had been drawn up and armed; but the officers in command deemed it worse than folly to resist, as we could plainly see they were training a full broadside to bear upon us, and Capt. Jones gave the orders to stop the ship and haul down the ensign. A boat then put off to us, and the boarding officer, on coming aboard, at once assured the passengers that none should be molested, and that all baggage and private property should be respected. He then demanded the keys of the special locker, together with all the ship’s papers and letter, and informed the captain he must be in readiness to go on board the Alabama with him, where he was detained as a hostage until the next day. The money in the ship, amounting to $9,500 was taken off and the prize crew, 20 in number, all well armed, put on board. The engine-room was taken in charge by two engineers from the Alabama. He officers and marines on board the Ariel were paroled, and their arms taken, as well as some belonging to the ship. Finding it was dangerous to venture into Kingston, Jamaica, to land the passengers, Capt Semmes took a bond for $260 000, payable six months after recognition of the Southern Confederacy, and released the Ariel. Capt. Jones carried the Ariel safe into Aspinwall, arrived at this port on the 28th December, 1863” What an amazing story! My Grandmother often dined out on this, the capture of her father’s ship, by the Alabama, “while en route to America”. We in South Africa knew about the Alabama, as the raider called in at Cape Town and became part of a well known Cape Malay song: “Daar kom die Alabama!” (Here comes the Alabama). Records show that the Alabama arrived off Table Bay on 5 August, 1864 where she overtook and captured a bark the Sea Bride with a cargo of provisions. The capture took place within view of the “cheering crowd” ashore! The local papers wrote: “They did cheer and cheer with a will too. It was not, perhaps, taking the view of either side, Federal or 7 Confederate, but in admiration of the skill, pluck and daring of the Alabama, Captain and her crew, who afforded a general theme of admiration for the world all over.” One can just imagine how I, as a child, was totally enthralled with the story of the capture of my Great Grandfather’s ship, by the Alabama – wow! Another family anecdote: the story of Wulf Sanders coming down with a fever, while on his way to Panama.